ABU DHABI // Forecasters are monitoring the development of a tropical storm over the Arabian Sea, south-east of Oman, but believe the UAE will avoid the worst of its high winds when it makes landfall later this week.
The National Centre of Meteorology and Seismology said that current forecasts could not predict the extent to which Cyclone Ashobaa will affect the Emirates.
An NCMS spokesman said: “The latest satellite imagery and observations, in addition to the weather reports from the main regional centres, indicate that the tropical depression has been deepening into a tropical storm with surface wind speeds between 60 and 80 kph. It will continue to move north-north-westward and intensify during the next 36 hours to a strong tropical storm.
“NCMS will keep watching this weather. It is well known that such weather is quickly changeable.”
Earlier yesterday, the centre warned that visibility would be reduced by dust blown up by strong winds and urged drivers to take extra care on the roads.
The weather will be hazy and partly cloudy over some areas, according to the NCMS.
Winds will be light to moderate in general, whipping up dust and causing poor visibility over inland and exposed areas.
Relative humidity will increase during the night and in the early morning over some coastal and internal areas, with a chance of fog. Seas will be calm to moderate in the Arabian Gulf and off the coast of Oman.
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